Pensioned Off

Retirement - is it a wasteland or a wonderland? Ruth, Trudy and some other baby-boomers they meet along the way, are about to find out. Drawn together by a love of music, they form a ukulele band which takes them on a journey far beyond their original intention of giving free concerts in nursing homes. They face challenges common to their age group but this feel-good fiction is designed to put a smile on the reader’s face. Set in Auckland, New Zealand, its message is universal; that there is life after hanging up one’s work boots.

How did retirement and ways of funding it emerge?* What are the key issues in relation to retirement and pensions today?* What are the key issues likely to be in the future?With a fifth of the United Kingdom's population retired, and everyone expecting lengthy retirement, the question of what constitutes retirement, how it is perceived and, critically, how it is funded, is of single importance to all. Clearly and concisely, Pensioned Off describes how the relatively modern phenomenon of 'retirement' emerged so quickly and dramatically, how those in retirement today support themselves financially, and how retirement and pensions are viewed as cultural traits of our society. It looks at the form and value of pensions today - both state and private - and then looks ahead to what might happen, for better or worse, in the future. Pensioned Off is recommended reading for students and professionals on social work courses which focus on later life. It will also be of interest to a wide range of practitioners working with older people. Key features:* Comprehensive approach: retirement and pensions seen in cultural and social, as well as economic context* Lively and accessible coverage of an often obfuscated subject* Up-to-date material, with almost all data from the 1990s* Eric Midwinter is the author of several best-selling texts

The vast majority of Canadians are blissfully unaware that every man, woman and child in Canada now owes a $35,000 share of government debt and must pay this back, with interest! Make no mistake, this debt will change our country and affect every single Canadian in the decades to come. You may think you have planned for your retirement and are safe, but the government must find a way to recover this borrowed money, and they can only do that by raising your taxes and reducing your hard-earned benefits. How did this debt come about, and why can't we simply pay it off? Pension Ponzi lays the blame squarely at the feet of the politicians who refused to stand up to Canada's public sector unions. The fact is Canada's public sector, which accounts for 20% of the workforce, has been grossly overpaid relative to their counterparts in the private sector with cushy pensions paid for with your taxes and new debt. There is no denying that the country does not have the financial resources to ensure that the next generation of Canadians will have the same standard of living as the ones before it-or to support our growing seniors population. Meeting our public sector pension obligations will break the current social safety net that is a pillar of the Canadian way. Can you escape this bleak future? Can you afford to live longer? Nationally-recognized pension expert Bill Tufts and award-winning journalist Lee Fairbanks explore how this catastrophe came about and then suggest ways that government can fix what's broken, and how you as an individual can protect yourself from the financial calamity that is about to engulf Canada.

Straight Talk and solid retirement advice for all Canadians In the face of government changes, financial market volatility, and an aging workforce, Canadians are understandably concerned about the impact on their finances and their future retirement. This reassuring book debunks the generally-accepted claims about necessary savings rates, which can cause paranoia among those beginning to contemplate retirement. The authors offer greater insight into planning approaches that are not widely understood, demystifies retirement targets (age, savings, income), and outlines concrete approaches to maximizing retirement savings. Offers practical advice for dealing with the changes to Canada's retirement system Includes advice for calculating your Neutral Retirement Income Target Contains solid financial advice in accessible language Written by the Executive Chairman and Chief Actuary of Morneau Shepell Canada's national actuarial consulting firm The Real Retirement offers a down-to-earth guide for preparing for comfortable retirement and shows what it takes to achieve it.

The third edition of Pension Law tracks regulatory developments, including the shift from solvency to going-concern funding as reflected by exemptions granted to public sector plans, conversions to target benefits and jointly sponsored plans, and industry consolidation. It also discusses major Supreme Court decisions since the last edition in 2013.

History remembers Wellington's defeat of Napoleon, but has forgotten the role of Field Marshal Radetzky in the battles which led to Napoleon's abdication and first exile in 1814. As Chief of Staff to the allied coalition of 1813-14, Radetzky determined the shape of the most decisive campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars by creating the strategy that defeated the Corsican in Germany and then France. Neither Russia nor Prussia had been able to overcome Napoleon in battle and it took the brilliant diplomacy of Metternich and the military genius of Radetzky to ensure victory over the Emperor. In short, the Austrian contribution decisively tipped the balance against Napoleon - a fact which has always been overlooked by historians. It was Radetzky, too, at the age of eighty-two, who defeated the Italians in 1848 and 1849 and thus saved Europe once again from the prospect of international war and revolution. The wars Radetzky fought - and won - throughout his extensive military career were of the greatest possible significance in European history, yet today, he is almost forgotten - remembered only in the music of the Radetzky March, dedicated to him by Johann Strauss the elder. In this, the first biography of Radetzky to be published in English, Alan Sked paints a vivid picture of an exceptional, yet neglected commander of genius in a book which will be fascinating reading for enthusiasts of military and modern European history.